Before the Ohio Election Fraud, this blog was entitled "Fairness". Since November 2, 2004, a day that will live in infamy, this blog has been devoted exclusively to fighting the crimes committed against the citizens of Ohio, and against our American way of life, in the 2004 "election".

August 31, 2005

We do well to remember that the exact same type of conduct for which the Cuyahoga election officials were indicted went on all across Ohio. Here is a report from Peter Jones, who was a recount volunteer:

"I was one of those in Greene County, with Eve Roberson and several otheractivists and observers. I personally observed the same situations describedby others: Triad's crew had prior private access to the physical ballots andtheir proprietary voting machines in advance of any members of the recountteam. The recount team was sequestered in an upstairs room, guarded by thechair of the Greene County Republican Party! Triad was handling the ballotsand set things up for the "demo" run, which was to prove the machines werezeroed out before processing ballots.

"The precincts for hand counting were all selected in advance, and werepreselected to add up to the 3% as designated. But they were anything butrandomly chosen. One precinct was Yellow Springs (Kerry), anotherBeavercreek (Bush) , and the third mixed. The hand count was done withoutvisual cross-checking between the two counters - it looked like it was forshow. There was actually a difference between the machine count and thehand count, and the BOE chair (Fred Hall, Democrat) refused to order a fullrecount. Katrina Sumner argued with Mr. Hall for a good 20 minutes until heagreed to a machine recount. The statute says a hand recount shall be donein case of a miscount. They (Hall and the Repub Director, who convenientlyresigned in January 05) said they always did recounts this way. I asked howoften they did statewide recounts - they said often, but it was actually onein 5 years. I asked when the last national race was recounted statewide -they did not have an answer.

"Eve and I believe it was fully rigged. I digitally audio recorded the entireproceeding. I have a (surreptitious) "interview" recorded with Brett Rapp ofTriad as well as Fred Hall, on record as saying he "doesn't understand thevoting machines but trusts in them completely." Well, Ohio went and stayedstraight Republican in the late 80's, when Triad first started in the majorcounties in Ohio. Ohio has been Republican ever since - what a coincidence. "

As this Ohio citizen reminded us, when he protested at the steps of the Ohio State House last year:

Rigging elections is indeed a crime, and it is the most heinous crime you can commit in a democracy, because it cuts us to the quick. It goes to the core of the great freedoms our country is supposed to be about.

We are indeed pleased to learn that two of those responsible for preventing a lawful recount in Cuyahoga County have been indicted, and we are confident that there will be many more such indictments as the truth comes out.

We are likewise pleased that John Kerry and John Edwards have chosen to stay in the federal recount case, and fight alongside David Cobb and Michael Badnarik for our American way of life.

Don McTigue, attorney for John Kerry and John Edwards, appeared in federal court in Toledo, before Judge Carr, on August 30th, and told the Court that Kerry and Edwards intend to remain in the case.

Judge Carr set an August 22, 2006 trial date.

Additionally he consolidated the two recount cases, Rios v. Blackwell and Yost v. Cobb & Badnarik. He gave the plaintiffs until September 15th to file amended pleadings (plaintiff's counsel had requested an opportunity to streamline their claims).

Judge Carr set a discovery cut-off of May 1, 2006, and ruled that any summary judgment motions must be made by May 15, 2006.

Two Cuyahoga County elections officials were indicted Tuesday on charges of not handling ballots correctly during the recount of the 2004 presidential election.

Kathleen Dreamer, manager of the board's ballot department, and the assistant manager, Rosie Grier, were each charged with six counts of failing to follow Ohio laws that spell out how ballots are selected and reviewed during a recount.

The most serious charges carry a maximum of 18 months in prison.

Erie County Prosecutor Kevin J. Baxter conducted the investigation at the behest of Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Bill Mason, who recused himself from the case because his office represents the elections board.

The charges stem from a complaint first raised last December by Toledo lawyer Richard Kerger, who watched over the recount on behalf of two third-party candidates.

Kerger charged that elections officials failed to randomly select precincts that were supposed to be counted by hand and compared against ballots tabulated by a machine; conduct test-runs before witnesses; and investigate discrepancies between vote totals.

Available one week in advance at the Grand Lake Theater box office noon to 10 p.m. daily, and at the door. Early Purchase Will-Call tickets available now. Send request to ca.voteraction@sbcglobal.net or leave message at 510 740 0572.Only 600 tickets available; order early to reserve a seat.

PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS

Groups working for electoral integrity are invited to help publicize this event and mobilize our audience.We intend to inform, motivate, and organize toward a unified strategy to restore democracy.

* Participating Organizations will be credited in publicity announcements, and invited to host literature and outreach tables in the theater lobby during the afternoon film fest and evening events.

* Those with projects to educate and engage citizens in electoral activism will be invited to make five-minute audience presentations, as time allows, then enlist citizen volunteers during the networking session following the speakers. We intend this event to continue long after we leave the theater, until the day everyone's vote is counted as cast.

* Organizations wishing to participate in this event, please respond with the name of your group, the name, phone, and e-mail of a contact person, a description of your group's involvement in voting rights and elections issues, and if you wish, a proposal for a five-minute presentation. Please send your responses to ca.voteraction@sbcglobal.net or to (510) 740-0572 (voicemail).

This event is a benefit for the Voting Rights Task Force of the Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club, the people who brought you the January 6 Boxer Rebellion, the Election Rigging 101 National Teach-in, and the continuing battle to eradicate Diebold from Alameda County, and all blackbox voting fraud from California and the nation.

The VRTF expresses its great appreciation to our speakers, the filmmakers, and Allen Michaan and the Grand Lake Theater for donating their time, creative work, and resources to this cause of securing our votes and reclaiming our democracy.

August 25, 2005

As my readers know, I usually try to just report things, and refrain from giving my personal opinions. But sometimes I just have to say something. And this is one of those times.

I've been watching the work of Congressman John Conyers, Jr., since November, 2004.

On every single important issue in this country, he is on the side of right, and has been leading the struggle for fairness, and for restoring the rule of law.

If the United States is the sum total of the values expressed in the Declaration of Indendence and the United States Constitution, the historic love of its people for freedom, and their historic legacy of making freedom ring, John Conyers is the de facto President of the United States.

He is certainly the President of my United States.

George W. Bush is not and never will be a legitimate leader of this country, not only because he was never legally elected, but also because he has neither understanding of, nor respect for, the qualities upon which our country is based, and which distinguish it from the powerful dictatorships we helped vanquish in the Second World War. His value system is might over right. Ours is a rule of law that treats all people as equals.

John Kerry, by his November 3, 2004, abandonment of the Ohioans who had fought so hard for democracy, relinquished any claim he had to leadership.

If John Edwards hopes to be the President of the United States, he needs to sit down at the foot of Congressman Conyers, and to first humbly ask this great American to forgive him for failing to come to the aid of his country on November 3rd. Then he needs to ask Congressman Conyers to show him the way home, the way back into the struggle.

And he needs to distance himself immediately from the pandering, self serving, policy of appeasement adopted by almost all the Democratic members of the United States Senate.

America owes a debt of gratitude, so profound that it can never be repaid, to Congressman John Conyers, Jr., a beacon of light in what has been one of our country's very darkest hours.

I would like to express my deepest appreciation for your role in intervening to protect the rights of the candidates seeking the 2004 election recount in Ohio and I applaud you for your great efforts to stand behind the voting public, urging them not to lose faith in our election system.

As you are aware, this has been the second consecutive presidential election where numerous issues were raised concerning irregularities and improprieties within the system. Specifically, we learned of the massive disenfranchisement of fellow voters, as well as numerous incidents of voter intimidation and the purposeful dissemination of misleading information to the voting public, with the intent to interfere with the system. In addition, we learned of numerous irregularities in the way the recount in Ohio was conducted. I therefore commend your willingness to intervene in the recount case as it proceeds in the federal district court in Ohio and to join the candidates and voters in their struggle to fix a seemingly broken system. It is only by investigating these voting irregularities in each past election that we are able to ascertain the problems and pursue a better election process in each succeeding election.

It is for these reasons that I am deeply concerned to learn of the possibility, however remote, that you may be considering withdrawing from the 2004 election recount case in Ohio. As you know, it is absolutely imperative that we have elections that count every vote of every eligible voter, and if there is any issue that is central to a strong democracy, it is ensuring that all eligible voters are able to participate in our elections without encumbrance or interference from others. There is no question that your continued participation in this case will help ensure that we restore trust in our election system.

As you continue your participation in this important case and we continue our investigation of the voting irregularities during the 2004 presidential election, we hope to be able to maintain an open dialogue. As you know, the objective of the recount itself was never to overturn the election, but to win back the confidence of the electorate in the accuracy of voting methods and the fairness of voting procedures. The objective remains the same for the pending case in federal court challenging the unconstitutional manner in which the Ohio recount was conducted. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact my office at (202) 225-6504.

August 24, 2005

This post is intended as a resource for those seeking information on upcoming legal events relating to the Ohio election of 2004, especially relating to issues of (a) fraud, (b) disenfranchisment, (c) voter suppression, (d) recount obstruction, and (e) vote machine tampering.

The "permanent" link to this post is at the bottom and can be ascertained by right-clicking the phrase "Permanent Link to this Post". (But please note that it is not entirely "permanent": each time the post is updated in a new month, the 2-digit number for the month changes, and when it is updated in a new year, the 4-digit number for the year changes as well).

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If you have information on upcoming hearings, court dates, or other legal events, please send by email to ohioelectionfraud@mindspring.com with "oef" as the subject.

In League of Women Voters v. Blackwell, the judge (Chief Judge David Carr) has scheduled a status conference for Thursday, August 30th. The conference will take place at the federal courthouse in Toledo, Ohio, in the courtroom of Judge Carr.

The defendant the State of Ohio has indicated that intends to file a motion to dismiss the complaint as against the State, and its motion is due to be served by August 29th.

August 23, 2005

Important action memo received today from the Progressive Democrats of America:

Dear Friends,

Last week we sent an email asking you to contact Senator John Kerry urging him not to withdraw from the Ohio recount case pending in federal court in Ohio. Since then, many of you have taken action and have voiced your concern to Senator Kerry. Thank you. Your voices are critical in the ongoing struggle to protect the right to vote. Some friends have responded by asking for further information or have suggested that the fight in the Ohio recount case is no longer worthwhile. We write to address these concerns.

Is Senator Kerry planning to withdraw from the case?

While not yet confirmed by Senator Kerry, Congressman Conyers and others have received credible information that Senator Kerry is preparing to withdraw from the recount case. Today, Congressman Conyers posted the letter we referred to last week on his blog (click on the word "wrote" in his blog statement to access the original letter): http://www.conyersblog.us/[ed. note: letter can also be accessed directly at http://www.conyersblog.us/archives/kerryedwardsohltr81705.pdf]

Next Tuesday, August 30, Senator Kerry's lawyer will need to appear before Federal Judge Carr in Toledo, along with the other lawyers in the recount case. We will know by that point whether Senator Kerry intends to stay in the case. We may know earlier if he seeks to withdraw by filing papers doing so. What we know today is that your pressure is having an impact and we must keep it going. Please continue to call/email/send letters to Senator Kerry urging him to remain in this case and to join the amended counterclaims. Here again is Senator Kerry's contact information: http://www.johnkerry.com/contact/

Is fighting the Ohio recount case still worthwhile?

The struggle for the right to vote includes the struggle to ensure that all votes are properly counted. A recount is the procedure for doing that. If election officials resist our right to a meaningful recount conducted in accordance with basic constitutional standards, they trample on our right to vote. Senator Kerry must not withdraw from the Ohio recount case.

What is at stake in the Ohio recount case is whether recounts in federal (presidential and congressional) elections will be conducted in accordance with basic equal protection and due process as guaranteed by the US Constitution or whether they will receive the same kind of sham recount received in Ohio in December. For a fuller understanding of all of the serious violations that occurred during the recount in Ohio last December, see the amended counterclaims filed by David Cobb and Michael Badnarik at: http://www.nvri.org/about/ohio_cobb_badnarik_counterclaims_123004.pdf. These amended counterclaims raise major constitutional concerns. David Cobb and Michael Badnarik are to be congratulated for continuing to press this fight for all of us. Senator Kerry should continue to stand by their side.

Thank you for all you are doing to ensure that recounts matter and that all votes are properly counted.

An important call to action has been made by Congressman Conyers on his blog today:

"What Happened Last Fall?

Paul Krugman Does It Again

A Call to Action -- Moving Forward to 2006

Congressman Conyers writes as follows:

"Republicans find themselves with plunging poll numbers and an uncertain electoral landscape in 2006. Failure for them in their drive to keep control of the House of Representatives, and one party rule in Washington, means that, if reelected, I will become Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Henry Waxman will become Chairman of the Government Reform Committee, Louise Slaughter will become Chair of the Rules Committee, Charlie Rangel will Chair the Ways and Means Committee, and Nancy Pelosi will be the first woman to be Speaker of the House. That means accountability for this Administration with a stiff dose of the truth.

"Make no mistake about it. Desperate times will lead to desperate tactics and partisans supporting Republican candidates will pull out every dirty trick in the book to stop us from bringing checks and balances back to the federal government. What do we do about it?

"First, we must be vigilant and we must use every legal means at our disposal to stop the pre and post election manipulations. Second, we must push for legislation at the state and federal level to reform our elections, including providing a voter verified paper ballot.

"More immediately, however, we must work harder to take back the House and to do so by a large enough margin so that the malfeasance and fraud makes no difference. I want you to start today (the election is just a little more than 14 months away) because they are. Start organizing in your neighborhood and precinct. Join your local democratic party if you haven't already. Talk to your relatives and friends about how much is at stake in 2006. Support progressive and alternative media that help get our message out by spreading the word about your favorite progressive talk radio hosts and stations, and the blogs you read. Support the candidates of your choice by signing up to be a volunteer for their campaigns, for the DCCC, or by making a financial contribution. Write letters to the editor about the lack of accountability in our government for the bad decisions made by this Congress and this Administration.

"In sum, I have a small request: do everything you did for the 2006 election that you did last year in a close Presidential election marred by malfeasance and fraud, and then do more. It is never too soon to start."

This is a selective list of videos and audios, available online, about the 2004 election. I am just beginning to prepare this list, so if you have suggestions for additional links, which you feel merit inclusion, please send them to me at evidence@ohioelection2004.com.

August 09, 2005

For a detailed report of 1597 Franklin County Ohio voters, who were registered voters, but whose provisional ballots were rejected, categorized "Status 200 - Not Registered (No Vote)", see http://my.core.com/~rhh/index.htm

Come and learn how corporate influence and profiteering have compromised American elections, and what We the People can do to reclaim what is rightfully ours.This three day conference will feature some of the nation's leading election reform advocates and renowned independent media personalities. Here are just a few of the election reform movers and shakers confirmed to date:

Oregon Election System Poster Session: Learn how Oregon’s Vote-by-Mail system works through poster presentations and videos and have your questions answered by Oregon election officials and citizen experts.

Oregon Election System Poster Session: Learn how Oregon’s Vote-by-Mail system works through poster presentations and videos and have your questions answered by Oregon election officials and citizen experts.

8:30 AM – 12:15 PM

Corporate Ownership of Our Elections: The Threat to Democracy Thom Hartmann, radio talk show host and author

1B. From Good Intentions to Powerful Action: How to Make a Difference Emily Levy, United for Secure Elections, http://www.juiceforjustice.com/

12:15 – 1:30 PM Lunch on your own (box lunch may be ordered at registration)

1:30 – 5:30 PM Plenary Sessions

Keynote Speaker:

The Honorable Jesse Jackson Jr., U.S. Representative, D-IL

Featured Speakers:

Oregon Secretary of State (Invited)

David Cobb, 2004 Green Party Presidential Candidate

Ronnie Dugger, Founder of Alliance for Democracy and author of “How They Could Steal the Election This Time.”

JoAnne Bowman, Former Oregon House Representative

Panel Discussion: Verifying Election Results

Election Audits, Oregon Voter Rights Coalition

Parallel Elections, Judy Alter, UCLA retired Emeritus professor

Exit Polls, TBD

5:30 – 7:30 PM Dinner on your own

7:30 – 8:30 PM Democracy Revival

Paul Lehto and Thom Hartmann

OR

Election Reform Film Festival

Sunday, October 2, 2005

Portland State University

724 SW Harrison

Portland, OR

7:30 AM Registration Open

Oregon Election System Poster Session: Learn how Oregon’s Vote-by-Mail system works through poster presentations and videos and have your questions answered by Oregon election officials and citizen experts.

The King City Democrats have invited Oregon Voter Rights Coalition and any interested people to their August meeting.

We are encouraging people to attend this event in place of our usual monthly meeting.

Thom Hartmann will be speaking on a number of issues, including election fraud/reform.

The meeting will be held on Friday, August 19, 2005, at 7 p.m. in the King City Town Hall, 15245 SW 116th Avenue, King City, Oregon. The agenda will include a short business meeting. All ages are invited to attend.

Directions: From Portland south on 99 to Royalty, 1 block past Beef Bend Rd, turn right 1 block, right again. The Town Hall is on the left.

From I-5, Durham Road until it ends and you are forced right (just across 99) onto 116th. Second block on left.

Sponsored by the Muskingum County Women's Democrat Club, a special 2-hour forum of speakers and discussion will be held at the Heavenly Ham restaurant, 2579 Maple Avenue, Zanesville Ohio (Come at 11:30 and buy yourself lunch).

Several featured speakers include electoral reform speakers and voting researchers from around Ohio. The public is invited to attend and learn about the ongoing issues affecting your right to vote, directly from election activists involved in the 2004 electoral process. Did your vote count last November? Will it count in 2006 and in 2008?As a citizen you have a right to know and learn more.

This issues forum is dedicated to the following questions:

*In Ohio, which voters were targeted to be discounted? How were people disenfranchised?

*What is the relationship between Ohio's Coingate and other public financial scandals and the big voting machine manufacturers?

*Which voting machine vendors are bribing our officials?

*How easily can the new electronic voting machines be hacked and vote totals changed?

Keynote speakers for the conference will include national leaders in the fight to restore democracy, honesty and accuracy to the American election system. The conference format will include a combination of keynote speakers, session speakers, panel presentations, training workshops, and poster presentations

Oregon Election System Poster Session: Learn how Oregon’s Vote-by-Mail system works through poster presentations and videos and have your questions answered by Oregon election officials and citizen experts.

Oregon Election System Poster Session: Learn how Oregon’s Vote-by-Mail system works through poster presentations and videos and have your questions answered by Oregon election officials and citizen experts.

8:30 AM – 12:15 PM

Corporate Ownership of Our Elections: The Threat to Democracy Thom Hartmann, radio talk show host and author

Oregon Election System Poster Session: Learn how Oregon’s Vote-by-Mail system works through poster presentations and videos and have your questions answered by Oregon election officials and citizen experts.

Come and learn how corporate influence and profiteering have compromised American elections, and what We the People can do to reclaim what is rightfully ours.

This three day conference will feature some of the nation's leading election reform advocates and renowned independent media personalities. Here are just a few of the election reform movers and shakers confirmed to date:

Professor Takaji noted the disparate effect the group's suggested Photo ID law would have on the poor, Latinos, and African Americans, and compared it to the racist voting laws of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries:

"We should remember that, at the turn of the 20th Century, allegations of "good government" were used by white Democrats in a remarkably successful strategy to suppress the black vote. The result of those very successful efforts was to impose barriers like the literacy test, which excluded African Americans from voting throughout the South for the better part of the century, until after the Voting Rights Act of 1965. If you go back and read some of the documents from the late 1800's and early 1900's, as I've recently been doing, the similarity to the sort of arguments being advanced now in support of photo ID laws is frightening. It is beyond unfortunate to see the same sort of tactics, albeit dressed up in more respectable garb, being employed at the start of the 21st Century."

A superb article by noted commentator Mark Crispin Miller, which deals primarily with the stolen Ohio 2004 presidential election, appears as the cover story in this month's issue of Harper's Magazine, the August 2005 issue.

August 03, 2005

We were pleased to see both the excellent coverage by Jessica Fisher, of the Cincinnati Enquirer, of the blog coverage of the Hackett/Schmidt election contest, and the thoughtful comments which appeared in her excerpts:

In view of the unusual reporting of the election results from the Hackett/Schmidt election taking place yesterday, on August 2nd, there may be heightened interest in the 2004 illegalities which took place in Clermont, Warren, Hamilton, and other counties implicated in yesterday's "election".

Accordingly I have expanded the number of older posts appearing on this page.

Older articles can still also be found through the weekly archives, or through the search function.

Rev. Bill Moss, lead plaintiff in the Moss v. Bush case challenging Ohio'selectors in the Ohio State Supreme Court, has died.

Rev. Moss was along-time activist in the Columbus area.

Reported by Ohio News Network:

"Former Columbus school board member dies

"COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Former city school board member Bill Moss, whose tenure was marked by colorful theatrics, including a shoe-pounding incident in 2003 that shut down a board meeting, died Tuesday. He was 69.

"Moss, a well-known activist who helped file a lawsuit that challenged last year's presidential race in Ohio, died at Riverside Methodist Hospital, said Andrew Marcelain, spokesman for Columbus schools.

"Moss was being treated at the hospital for a stroke suffered last week while traveling through Pennsylvania, The Columbus Dispatch reported on its Web site. A hospital spokesman confirmed the death but declined to comment on the reason for Moss' hospitalization."

Here, courtesy of The Brad Blog, is an advisory people received in Lake County telling them that if they signed up to register through the NAACP, ACT, Kerry for President, or the campaign for the Democratic Congressional Candidate, their registrations were illegal and they "will not be able to vote until the next election":

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."
-Martin Luther King, Jr.

This blog is devoted to evidence, investigation, litigation, and prosecution regarding the Ohio election of 2004, especially on issues of fraud, disenfranchisement, voter suppression, vote machine tampering, and recount obstruction.

We welcome submissions of information relating to : (a) evidence, (b) legal documents,
(c) news of legal events, (d) announcements of upcoming legal and informational events, and (e) scholarly analysis and commentary upon evidence relating to the Ohio election of 2004. These should be
emailed to me.
Thanks.
Ray